Where to See Christmas Lights in San Diego

Where to See Christmas Lights in San Diego

There’s really no better holiday tradition or way to get into the holiday spirit than going around to see Christmas light displays in San Diego! With so many unique neighborhoods in the area – each with their own vibe – there are countless light displays throughout the County. It can get a bit overwhelming to try and track them all down, so we’ve gone ahead and picked out some of the very best! Here’s your guide to the best Christmas lights in San Diego and San Diego County.

Garrison Street Lights: Point Loma

For more than three decades, this little neighborhood in Point Loma has been a popular destination for Christmas lights viewing in San Diego. Tucked away among decadent homes and incredible views, this little street lights up every day after dusk until New Year Eve.

Sights & Sounds of Christmas: San Diego Temple

The Mormon Temple off I-5 near La Jolla is an awesome feat of architecture, and definitely worth a visit even during the daytime (although only members of the church are allowed inside). This holiday season, it turns into a winter wonderland–walk the Temple grounds and enjoy more than 130,000 lights and nativity scenes. Admission is free.

December 1st – January 1st; 5pm-11pm. 7474 Charmant Dr., UTC.

San Diego Bay Parade of Lights: The Bay

Now in its 46th year, the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights is truly a sight to behold. Presented by the Port of San Diego, the boat parade of more than 80 lavishly decorated vessels has become an iconic Christmas light installation in the area. This year’s theme is “Arrgh! A Pirate’s Christmas,” so you’ll be sure to see plenty of pirate-themed boats and decorations! The parade starts at Shelter Island, travels through the harbor and ends at the Ferry Landing in Coronado.

Forward House: Banker’s Hill/Downtown

This famous historic house was built in 1905 for then-San Diego Mayor John Forward Sr, and has been adorned with an array of holiday lights every season since 1998. It’s a beautiful, two-story house, and essentially every inch is covered in lights – this is a must-see.

Luminaria: South Park

It’s South Park’s very own season of lights! Every tree, lamp post, roof, and courtyard is decorated with lights and ribbons. Stroll through the neighborhood and stop along the way at one of the coffee shops or restaurants in the area.

November 17th – January 1st; starts at dusk. Along 30th St. and Fern St. from Juniper to Grape and Beech Streets.

Belardo Lights: Tierrasanta

The Belardo Lights display has a beautiful story behind it. Started by the father of two boys, both diagnosed with autism, who wanted to create a special Christmas tradition that they could look forward to and work on together each year. Every year since 2006, he and his sons have worked to create the display entirely from scratch, and this year they’ve upped the ante even further with new light displays.

Christmas Park: Clairemont

More than 30 homes are lit up with holiday lights in an area of Clairemont that’s been dubbed “Christmas Park.” The circular street’s colorful display has been going strong since 1977 and continues to delight both locals and out-of-towners alike.

Jingle Bell Hill: El Cajon

Tucked away in El Cajon, you’ll find nearly 80 homes lit up with all kinds of festive holiday themes (some get super creative here, as well; we’ve seen Nightmare Before Christmas references, among others!). The display has grown significantly in recent years, lending it its nickname; it used to be called simply the “Pepper Drive Lights.”

1838 El Pico Drive: El Cajon

This Christmas light installation is a seriously longstanding local tradition – it’s now going on its 53rd year decorating the 20-foot star that stands 100 feet above El Cajon valley. Visitors will also see a 55-foot long automated train and extensive automated yard decorations.

Christmas Card Lane: Rancho Peñasquitos

This is one of the liveliest light displays in the County. Each year, residents decorate their yards with plywood greetings depicting cartoon characters or Christmas themes. The display was actually started in 1982 by Rancho Peñasquito resident Alana Hastings as a way to share the holiday spirit of the tight-knit community with others in the city. Originally, only about 15 families participated; now, there are more than 200 – and several have even been known to hand out some hot chocolate!

Knob Hill: San Marcos

Now in its 30th year, this awesome holiday light display in North County features more than 100,000 lights, themed displays, and more. Each year the area attracts more than 130,000 visitors! It will start to get crowded near Christmas Day, so try to get in a visit early. Bring the little ones anytime during the week of Christmas, as even Santa will pay a visit.

Candy Cane Lane: Poway

Entire cul-de-sacs are lit up in Poway, with more than 100 homes decorating for the holiday season. Parking can be tricky here, so it’s usually best to park a few blocks away and walk through the displays on your own little Christmas light tour.

Starlight Circle: Santee

This cozy little Santee neighborhood lights up more than 65 homes every year during the holidays. Decorations vary each year, but all of the homes always participate and it’s definitely worth seeing!

December 1 – 31st; dusk-10pm. Along Tomel Court, off Magnolia St. in Santee.

Also in Santee:

9435 Saint Andrews Drive (full Gingerbread house complete with more than 10,000 lights! Through January 1st; dusk-10pm).

Tinsel Town: Lakeside

Each year, more than 20 houses are lit up in Lakeside with festive lights and front-yard decorations. This neighborhood definitely goes all out for the Christmas season!

December 5th – 25th; 5:30pm-9pm. 10248 Paseo Palmas Dr., Lakeside.

Other Light Displays

If you’re looking for Christmas lights that aren’t in residential neighborhoods, here are a few places around the County to go:

Jungle Bells: San Diego Zoo. Enjoy the Zoo in holiday mode until January 1st, 9am-8pm every day, complete with a holiday light display, animal experiences, costumed characters, and live music. Head over to Balboa Park after for more holiday cheer!

Global Winter Wonderland: SDCCU Stadium (Qualcomm). Featuring holiday displays and celebrating cultures from around the world with thousands of lights, decorations, a full carnival, entertainment, this is a San Diego Event this winter that you won’t want to miss! Admission is $19 for children and $22 for adults.

Christmas Celebration at SeaWorld San Diego.This year, SeaWorld is totally decked out with more than a million lights plus a 40-foot Christmas tree with an animated light show. Don’t forget to check out Rudolph’s Christmastown and the new O Wondrous Night, a living nativity performed every night. Through January 6th.

Featured Articles

5 Things You Didn't Know About the La Jolla Children's Pool Children's Pool Beach is one of the most well known (and loved!) beaches in La Jolla, California. Built in 1930, it was one of the many gifts that...

How One Woman Shaped La Jolla: The Legacy of Ellen Browning Scripps Ellen Browning Scripps was many things to many people throughout her 96 years; a sister, schoolteacher, journalist, philanthropist, patron of the arts,...

7 Must-Try Spots in La Jolla for Breakfast & Brunch You know the saying: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, it’s true! Eating breakfast has not only been shown to promote weight loss by jump starting...